And I Watch
by FeigningInterest
Summary: She’s beautiful, and I take a glance around me to find that about twenty-some other men share my sentiments."


I look at her, flashes of memories playing behind my eyes. The tears, laughter and nonsense from our childhood flooding over me at the sight of her. I watch the movement of her body, the swaying hips, the bounce of her chest. And the stoic demeanor so smug on her face. She's beautiful, and I take a glance around me to find that about twenty-some other men share my sentiments. Each of them taking in her now flawless figure.

I scowl at their stares, knowing well that their eyes don't belong there. I've been back in Konoha for an impressive amount of months. The months almost adding to a year. Yet, she hasn't. I never thought of her as a wanderer. I always thought she'd wait for me here. I always expected her to grow up to be a plain, sweet, sensitive, weak and frail woman. I never expected her to look so unlike "the her" I knew. The kinks in her armor as a ninja, the kinks that used to make me spurn her, have been firmed out. And in the place of the weak warrior stands a combatant whose strength rivals my own. I must admit this change in her intimidates me, striking a curious key in my mind.

I openly take in her appearance, pleased with the idea of making her my wife. Something I'm sure she's still keen to. I spot a scar on the slope of her neck, reminding me vividly of the same scar marked deeper on the neck of the baka, Naruto. I remember Naruto telling me about the scar. He had "borrowed" Deer Boy's Shadow Technique via Kakashi's copycat jutsu. He asked if he could try out the new trick on her, and she obliged. He trapped her, and spent three hours trying to get her to give up. If anything, the girl's stubborn. Naruto took a kunai from his pouch, streaking deep against his neck, forcing her to do the same. He won the fight, but she refused to heal his neck wound.

Naruto speaks of her with an undertone of longing and want, the same emotions tickling his voice when her name slipped his tongue back when we were genin. I realized this when he told me of the fight that led to their similar scars. He holds the same unrequited crush for her that he always has. Even though the ring on his finger indicates his commitment to another woman. I expected the Hyuga girl, her being the only other female Naruto knows, to be his wife. I later saw the mutts that call her "mommy" and realized my inaccuracy. I haven't seen him with a woman, and haven't yet acquired the forgiveness it would take to ask him anything personal. I've tried ignoring the subject and cast my thoughts and actions towards building my life further than the acceptance of the people of my birth-land.

Which is where her influence comes into play in my future. I've been waiting for her to come back. I've been waking every morning and meeting the baka in hopes of her being there. It's surreal actually seeing her after all of this time. I'm expecting her reaction. A mix of something comforting and tainted. After all, the last time I saw her we weren't on anything close to good terms. There will be spans of awkwardness towards the beginning in which she'll be angry with me. I know her, though, and I'm certain she'll warm right back up to me. In time.

"Hey, teme!" I scowl, looking towards the distraction.

"What, Naruto?"

"Chill out, I was just wondering if you wanted to get ramen…" He freezes; his eyes spotting the woman mine had just recently been glued too. I watch a relief fill in his face, affecting his posture. I watch as a giddy fire dances behind his eyes, and it irks me for a reason I can't quite comprehend.

"Sakura…" He whispers, taking off in her direction.

I watch him run clumsily towards her, etching his way through the thinning crowd. Something about this ticks a chord in my stomach, making it ache in ways that I'm unfamiliar with.

"Sakura!" I watch the baka scream towards the beautiful woman.

I smirk, but it falls.

"Naruto," I hear her say softly, "You have no idea how much I've missed you."

I watch as the baka pulls away from her, gesturing towards me with a nod. Her beautiful expression falls to that of utmost contempt. Naruto wraps an arm around her waist, pulling her tighter to him. And, like magic, the derision is whipped from her face, replaced by… a sort of liberation from pain, happiness I can't put a finger on, some sort of airborne hope.

"Hey, Sasuke." I watch the two of them stroll closer to me. "I'd like you to meet my wife."

_Very short oneshot. One of those IN YOUR FACE SASUKE!!! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! kind of fics. I liked writing it, so please review. And please be nice, after all, it's my first Naruto fanfic._


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